IMPHAL, May 31 - Manipur Government will provide free diagnostic facilities at government hospitals in the State from July 1 this year.
Chief Minister N Biren Singh made the announcement while speaking at the World No Tobacco Day observation here on Wednesday. Informing that the State Government has identified 57 different tests which will be done free of cost at government health centres. These notified tests include blood tests, X-ray, CT scan, all tests for pregnant women and children, etc.
He also said that a partner for free diagnostics is being selected through an open tender process, which is duly assisted by NHSRC under Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for providing free diagnostic facilities to further support the State�s free diagnostics initiative.
�Recently, we have launched Jan Aushadhi stores selling generic medicines, where cost of medicines is much less than the branded medicines. We are now going to increase the free drug supply from about 100 medicines to over 300, which would cover almost all ailments,� he said. �I urge the Health Department to fast track the tender process so that the additional free medicine supplies commence within the next three months.�
With this initiative of free diagnostics and free medicines, the cost of treatment would be negligible, if not totally free, he claimed.
In her speech, Union Minister of State for Health Anupriya Patel said that tobacco consumption and smoking had caused highest number of deaths among the low and middle income groups in countries like India.
